In accordance with the views of Jerome Bruner, two ways of acquiring knowledge are compared : the scientific way of the natural sciences, and the narrative way. The former is strongly based on the rules of logic; the latter is focused on verisimilitude. Yet the structure of literary narratives is often not dissimilar to the structure of an argument; but in literary narratives the "argument" is given subjectively, since argument and character are so inextricably interwoven. Furthermore, ethical values are fundamental in the literary "argument". The core of the article is an analysis of the "argument" of Etienne van Heerden's novel Asbesmiddag. The development of the protagonist from "prosecutor" to "accused" is discussed, as well as the relevance of the links between fictional and "real" characters. Special attention is given to the integration of fiction and reality at the end of the novel. It is an open end, stimulating the reader towards continued ethical thinking.